It never ceases to amaze when we turn the calendar to see yet another “National Day.” There seems to be a day devoted to nearly everything. While some of these days are a bit far fetched for us, March 18^th caught our attention. As the creators of the best roast beef in New Hampshire, our chefs at Bentley’s tipped our hats to National Sloppy Joe Day – roast beef style, of course.

But first, a little bit of history.

Like anything, there was a first sloppy joe sandwich. According to Marilyn Brown, Director of the Consumer Test Kitchen at H.J. Heinz in Pittsburgh, research at Carnegie Library suggests that the origins of the sloppy joe lie with the “loose meat sandwiches” sold in Sioux City, Iowa during the 1930s. These sandwiches were the creation of a local man, you guessed it, named Joe.

However, once discovered, the sloppy joe took off around the country with several variations. There was are elements that united all variations, though – ground meat and tomato sauce. In fact, this combination became so expected, the 1960s introduced consumers to the famous Manwich.

A little Jersey-style is where it’s at.

While the ground meat and tomato sauce version stormed the country, some took things to the next level. For example, stores in New Jersey began creating their sloppy joes with roast beef, among other inventive ingredients. Why not, right?

Roast beef-styled sloppy joes.

Sloppy joes are a fantastic way to use up any roast beef after an excellent homemade meal. While our flavorful family recipes stay under lock and key at Bentley’s, here is a version from rakinginthesavings.com that we think you’ll enjoy!

• 1 pound cooked pot roast
• 1 teaspoon of garlic
• Small onion, chopped
• ½ cup of ketchup
• ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar

Start by chopping up your leftover roast beef. Combine everything in a medium-sized pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the brown sugar is dissolved. Next, bring the ingredients to a boil and reduce to low heat. Simmer and stir until the onions are tender.

Serve warm on a toasted bun with your favorite side!

Be sure to share your roast beef styled sloppy joes with us on Facebook! Or, if you’re not feeling like cooking, be sure to visit Bentley’s Roast Beef for the best roast beef in New Hampshire today!

You can find us at 134 NH-101A in Amherst, NH, or click here to place your take-out order.